2019 Players Championship 2 

Sunday 10th February 2019

Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan

Rob Cross looked in great form at times in Players Championship 2 at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan this afternoon. The 2018 World Champion beat Ross Smith 6-2 with a 108.61 average, Jamie Lewis 6-3 with a 104.47 average and Ryan Joyce 6-2 with a 98.19 average before losing out 6-4 to Dave Chisnall in the last sixteen with a 90.86 average.

 

First Round (vs Ross Smith)

This match would have to go down as one of the best matches of the day and it’s a shame there had to be a loser. All legs were played to a top-class level with the first five all going with throw.

 

Cross got things started with a 180, checking out on double eighteen in a 13-dart opener with Smith left on 90 after twelve darts. Smith hit his first 180 of the match in the second leg as he took out forty in two darts for a 14 darter with Cross back on 161. Another 13-dart leg from

 

Cross followed, this time with his second maximum of the match to leave forty which he duly took in one dart to lead 2-1.

 

Smith then banged in two 180s to kick off the fourth leg, taking out 56 in three darts for a 12 darter with Cross way back on 263 after nine darts. The fifth leg was impressive from both players. Smith left sixteen after 12 darts as Cross notched another 180 and took out double sixteen for a third 13 dart winning leg.

 

With Cross now leading 3-2 it looked as though ‘Smudger’ was going to level again when he hit a fourth 180 and left 53 after 12 darts, only for Cross to step up and take out a match changing 167 finish having thrown 134, 60 and 140 with his first three throws of the leg.

 

Cross then held throw again to take a 5-2 lead by taking out 110 in a 15-dart leg with Smith left on 105 after 12 darts.

 

In the eighth leg Smith hit 123, 123, 140 and 59 to leave 56 but it wasn’t enough as ‘Voltage’ hit 134, 180, 133 and took out 54 in three darts to win the match 6-2.

 

Smith averaged 107.27

 

Second Round (vs Jamie Lewis)

Cross started this match in great fashion by reeling off the opening two legs in 13 and 10 darts. Scores of 58, 134, 139, 138 and a dart at double sixteen won the first with Lewis back on 192. Then, scores of 180, 177, 112 and again a dart at double sixteen won the second leg with Lewis way back on 280 having thrown 12 darts.

 

The third leg didn’t go so well but the Sussex man still took it in 20 darts by taking out double four after Lewis missed three at double nine.

 

Cross now lead 3-0. In the fourth, Cross left 129 after 15 darts. After opening scores of 121 and 95 Lewis followed up with 41, 41 and 43 but then took out a 160 finish to get himself on the board.

 

Cross then stepped up a gear to take the next in 14 darts with a 56 finish (20, D18). The sixth leg was decent from both players, Lewis opened with scores of 134, 140 and 180 to leave 47 while Cross hit 96, 96 and 139 to leave 170. Lewis then hit a single fifteen and miss two darts at double sixteen, only for Cross to take out the big fish and go 5-1 up.

 

The next leg could have been the match winner for Cross but a missed dart at double eleven for a 142-finish let the Welshman in as he took out 126 (T19, T19, D6) for a 15 darter.

 

Lewis won the next in 16 darts by hitting double eighteen and trail 5-3 then in the ninth leg Cross hit 180, 177, 96 to leave 48 and took it out in two darts (16, D16) for an eleven darter and a 6-3 win.

 

Lewis averaged 88.06

 

Third Round (vs Ryan Joyce)

Cross continued his decent form in this match, opening with a 106 finish to take the first leg in 15 darts. Joyce started the second leg with a 180. Both players missed chances with Joyce taking it in a 20 darts.

 

Cross then hit his only 180 of the match as he won the third leg in 15 darts with an 83 finish. That was followed with a 13-dart leg from the former electrician as he hit double eighteen.

 

Joyce hit his second maximum in the fifth leg to leave 32 but it wasn’t enough as Cross extended his lead to 4-1 by taking out 80 in three darts for an 18 darter.

 

A third 180 from Joyce to start the next leg saw him win it in 15 darts with a 72 finish then Cross moved 5-2 in front with a 12-dart leg, scoring 85, 140, 140 and taking out a 136 finish with Joyce back on 171 after nine darts.

 

The Hastings hot-shot then closed out the match for a 6-2 win with a 129 finish in a 15-dart leg.

 

Joyce averaged 90.40  

 

Fourth Round (vs Dave Chisnall)

This match was a bit of a frustrating one for the former world champion. Again, a decent start with a 13-dart leg opener with scores of 57, 180, 140, 92 and a double sixteen finish.

 

Chisnall levelled with a 13-dart leg himself, scoring 134, 97, 180, 50 and taking out double top with Cross left waiting on 110.

 

The third leg was comfortably looking like it was going the way of Cross but ten missed darts at doubles saw Chizzy take out double eighteen for a 22 darter. That seemed to have dented Cross’ confidence a little in the next leg, as he left 40 after 18 darts with Chisnall hitting a double at the fifth attempt to lead 3-1.

 

Chisnall won the next in 13 darts as he started off with scores of 100, 180 and 177 then took out 44 with his third dart at a double.

 

One missed dart at double top in the sixth leg from Chisnall allowed Cross back in the match as he took out 70 (T18, x, D8) for a 15 darter having hit his second 180 of the match.

 

Cross won the next in 13 darts with scores of 134, 98, 140, 97 and a double sixteen finish to trail 4-3.

 

In the eighth leg Chisnall hit his third 180 of the match and Cross hit a superb 168 (T20, T20, T16) to leave 16. Chisnall then missed darts at double eighteen and double fourteen only for Cross to miss three at double eight. Chisnall returned and hit double seven at the first attempt for a 16 darter and a 5-3 lead.

 

The next leg was another that looked like it was going Cross’ way but once again a hatful of chances came and went. Cross started with scores of 140, 100, 140 to leave 121. With Chisnall on 150, Cross hit T20, single eleven and then missed the bull, hitting 25. Chisnall hit 96 to leave 54. Cross then missed a dart at double sixteen and a dart at double eight. Chisnall then missed two at double top only for Cross to come back and miss one at double four and two at double two. This time Chisnall hit double top to advance to the last eight with a 6-3 win.

 

Chisnall averaged 88.35

 

Conclusion

Having beaten Nathan Aspinall 6-2, Luke Humphries 6-5 and Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-2, Chisnall went on to beat James Wade 6-5, Jonny Clayton 7-5 and Glen Durrant 8-7 to claim the title.

Amazingly there were four nine-dart legs during the day, hit by Chisnall, Michael van Gerwen, Chris Dobey and Geert Nenjes.

 

Results  

Last 16
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Chris Dobey
Dave Chisnall 6-3 Rob Cross
James Wade 6-3 Krzysztof Ratajski
Ryan Searle 6-2 Steve West
Joe Culen 6-5 Alan Tabern
John Henderson 6-3 Steve Lennon
Glen Durrant 6-4 Robert Thornton
Quarter-Finals
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Michael van Gerwen
Dave Chisnall 6-5 James Wade
Joe Cullen 6-5 Ryan Searle
Glen Durrant 6-4 John Henderson
Semi-Finals
Dave Chisnall 7-5 Jonny Clayton
Glen Durrant 7-4 Joe Cullen
Final
Dave Chisnall 8-7 Glen Durrant